Speysiders inflict crushing blow
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FOCHABERS embarked on a run rout to deliver a crushing defeat on Northern Counties, the only match to be completed on another wet Saturday around the North.
The home side hit 299 for five, with skipper Adam Stockwell unbeaten on 87, and Counties were skittled out for just 83.
Both teams were below full strength because of holidays and work commitments, meaning Fochabers started with 10 men to Counties, who batted first, nine.
Mark Stockwell and Chris Priddle opened the batting and picked up runs easily, courtesy of some wayward attacking by the Inverness side, whose opening bowler, Natarajan, was warned by the umpire for a full toss above waist height. S. Thomas dropped the chance of a caught and bowled at the other end to let Stockwell off the hook, and he was made to regret it.
Priddle let fly with four consecutive fours to different parts of the ground in the fifth over, and reached the boundary again in the seventh over to bring up 50. Overs nine and 10 produced boundaries, this time from the bat of Mark Stockwell, before a lull in the scoring saw the first maiden over of the match, from the bowling of Callanan.
The scoreboard continued to tick over and, in the 15th over, a Stockwell four through mid wicket brought up his 50 from just 48 balls; a single from the next ball also saw the scoreboard reach 100.
The onslaught continued for the next five overs when 40 runs were added, and Counties must have breathed a sigh of relief when, in the 20th, Stockwell snicked a bottom edge off B. Robinson onto his stumps. Stockwell out for 78 from just 67 balls, having hit 11 fours, with the score on 140-1.
Priddle was out next over, caught by Cowman off the bowling of Thomas for his maiden 50, at a good rate of almost a run a ball. It was a pleasant surprise for the young 20-year-old who batted well. Sanders and Dalgarno picked up ones and twos until Dalgarno was out in the 29th over for four, and Sanders out lbw in the 31st for 13, at 180-4.
Captain Adam Stockwell, better known for his destructiveness with the ball in hand, unleashed a barrage of fierce hitting to all parts of the ground to bring up the 200. The 37th over saw Callanan hit for 13 runs, including the first six of the innings, and, in the next over, Stockwell pulled a six which landed a foot short of the pavilion, in between a mobility cart and dog.
Sharp went in the 39th for 24 while Stockwell reached his 50 from just 28 balls, smashing a four and two sixes to leave Fochabers on 299-5. Stockwell was unbeaten on 87, with S. Cole not out four at the other end. There were 39 extras, mostly wides.
There were early signs that the huge total would be out of reach. At just 23, Chalmers was bowled by Steel and, in the next over, Robertson spooned a catch to Adam Stockwell at mid on off Sharp.
It soon became 28 for 3, as Natarajan was taken at point by Valentine. Christie notched a couple of fortuitous boundaries, while Cowman stroked Steel through extra cover to the fence. He was then missed behind by I. Stockwell off Steel and having scampered a single, Christie was bowled by the next delivery. In the same over, Robinson would have been pavilion bound had Priddle held on to a low chance at second slip.
Cowman brought up the 50 with another extra cover drive, while Sanders just failed to cling on to a difficult one-handed catch at mid off. Wasn’t costly, because Cowman lost his off peg to Steel two overs later.
Robinson picked up a couple of fours, although lucky to survive when Valentine grassed a low catch at mid on.
With dark clouds now threatening, Adam Stockwell replaced Steel and, with a slower ball, bowled S. Chalmers.
Callanan had a swipe at Sharp and that presented Adam Stockwell with an easy catch. The second delivery of the 23rd over saw Thomas have his stumps disturbed by Stockwell.
So, in roughly half the overs available to them, the visitors had tumbled to a rather miserable 83 all out, which had been boosted by 29 extras.
Bell’s Man of the Match: All about the home team on this occasion. The Stockwell brothers dominated most of the batting, although Chris Priddle revealed much promise in obtaining his first half-century in the senior league. Good to see Steel and Sharp get more elongated spells with the ball than they would normally expect; pity Dalgarno hadn’t been utilised in such an one-sided match. The award goes to Mark Stockwell, who had been partially instrumental in an excellent opening partnership, from which his brother undoubtedly benefited later on. By a whisker, he gets the nod over Adam.
Fochabers 299 for 5 (A. Stockwell 87 not out; M. Stockwell 78; C. Priddle 50; G. Sharp 24); 20 pts. S. Thomas 2 for 63; A. Callanan 2 for 77.
Northern Counties 83 all out; four points. M. Steel 3 for 32; G. Sharp 3 for 33; A. Stockwell 2 for 6.
